Fire Emblem: Another's Journey
by LazyZealot
Summary: In the wake of the war of Plegia and Ylisse, many lives are thrown away with little reason. With his father dead and gone, and only his sister to rely on, follow the journey of a child as he struggles to survive in this war-ridden world, as he fights to protect what he holds dear and near. No matter what the cost of doing so may be.
1. Beginnings

**Hello…**

 **New story/ First story to ever put up on Fanfiction.**

 **Yeah… I don't know either to be honest.**

 **T: For some mild language.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem/ Awakening. If I did, they would all have feet. No exceptions.**

 **. . . . .**

Plegia. It left a bad taste in my mouth even now.

Even many years after the war with Ylisse, things were pretty horrible over there. With barely any food to feed two people, let alone a family of five.

My father did his best. Even fought in the war that he didn't even believe in, just so he could feed and provide for his family. He was a true hero in my eye, not like the king. One who sends men to die, for the sake of a long dead dragon god of all things, is no hero.

But, as many heroes of legend, they die, leaving many who they saved in their wake. My mother took it the worst, locking herself in her room crying, screaming in denial that my father wasn't dead.

My sister Tharja, was to young to understand what had happened, while I just felt my world shatter into a million pieces. My father, a brave, righteous man, was dead.

How can a man so kind and good be killed by another, how can my father, so unbeatable in my young eyes, fall like cattle to the slaughter.

But life is cruel, and as I read the letter my mother dropped in shock, I could nearly hear my fathers spirit tell me what must be done.

 _Fight, for I now pass my mantle to you… Jonah, my son._

For many years, I would think back to that moment, and wonder if it really was him who spoke to me. While my world shattered, he put me back together with those simple words, he gave me a goal to achieve.

And with the Gods as my witnesses. I will fight, and strive to become a man just like my father.

With resolve and sadness in my heart, I went to the local butcher two days later, and told him that I would bring him meat in exchange for food and money. The butcher, a rather round man, just looked at me and laughed. He said that he had no need for hunters, that he just had to trade for salted cuts of meat that were brought over from the main cites.

I begged him to give me a chance, that I had to feed my sister and mother at home, since my father was killed in the war.

The butcher just looked at me with pity. He told me that the war was hard on everybody, and that my circumstances were common among the people. He told me to get lost as I was scaring away his customers, although he did apologize for what my family was going through, he wished me luck on my quest to fill in the void my father left behind and told me I was much to young to try and take on that kind of responsibility, at least without help.

So I left and started to go to other places where they might accept a seven year old brat.

Cut with a Carpenter.

" _Sorry, but sharp blades are nothing to mess with kid."_

Walked with a Merchant.

" _Get lost kid, can't you see that your need to be smart for this? I bet a brat like you can't even count yet, let alone help run business. Scram, I need to get back to work."_

Tangled with a Weaver.

" _I'm sorry hon', but I barely make enough to support myself. Try another time, okay?"_

And got laughed at by the Guards.

" _You can barely lift one of our practice swords. How the hell do you think you could be part of the army?"_

All of them turned me down.

With my mother still drowning in her grief, I even resorted to sealing food from the market place just to feed myself and my sister. I always put some food in front of her door, and come morning it would always still be there, completely untouched.

With the days going by one by one, and my mother cut off from me and my sister, I grew desperate for a way to support my family. Everyday I went to the market place, pick pocketing others so I could buy some bread and a skin of water.

My sister, to young to chew her own food, had to eat bread I chewed up for her. I had to change her clothes whenever they got covered in filth, and washed with what little water I could get with my stolen money. I had to put her asleep every night because our mother would not come out no matter how hard I pleaded to her. The door always remained locked, it's faded wood always between us.

It was during these times that I hated my mother, leaving her own children to fend for themselves. With no help coming from her, and having a hungry toddler to feed, I continued to steal, I also kept going to different places looking for any sort of work.

It was a week later that I discovered my mother was dead. The people who took the body later told me that she died from shock, most likely from a great trauma or immense emotional response.

With me now truly and utterly alone in my quest, I went through my mother's things hoping that I could sell anything for some quick gold.

Its not like she would be using it anymore.

 **. . . . .**

Days turned to weeks, and weeks turned to months. The gold I got from my mother's possessions was starting to run out, and I had to go back to stealing from others.

Summer was coming and the Plegian dessert grew hellishly hot, my sister was crying for water and I could barely provide. With desperation fueling my steps I went through my father's possessions to see if I could sell his things as well.

It was when I was doing this, was how I found what would be my father's greatest gift he could ever provide.

A bow. Nearly my size and made of sturdy wood, reinforced with iron and leather. It had a string made of silk and rawhide, and a quiver beside it. With arrows made of wood and feathers, tipped with razor sharp iron arrowheads. It was so beautiful that I couldn't sell it with the rest. Instead I kept it and started to teach myself how to use it while I wasn't busy raising my sister, or stealing for a living.

It was hard at first. Me barely able to pick it up, let alone draw back the string. But I soldiered on, and trained in the flat plains near my house. I shot at makeshift targets made of dead wood and unwanted cloth, and sharpened the arrow heads with stones found on the ground during my daily thefts.

Of course, I also took care of my sister. Fed her when she got hungry and clothed her when she got cold. She only had me to rely on after all, and I tried my hardest to be the best brother I could.

This was our life during the war. Our parents were dead, and us left to rot on a corner, but we continued to live. Me as a thief in training, and my sister as a toddler. For a year this was our daily life, me going out to steal money and food, and her staying at home a bit grumpy.

However, this would not last as we both grew older, our needs grew as well. My system of stealing for a living was not enough anymore to support a now four year old girl and an eight year old boy.

I still continued my training with my father's bow, I was even able to hit my makeshift target's bullseye consistently now. With this skill of mine, I decided to go through with my word I made to the butcher nearly a year ago.

It was time to go hunting.

 **. . . . .**

It was hot in the flat plains of Plegia.

With the sun beating down on my back and dry winds blowing the cape of my tattered hood. I walked through the endless plain of dead grass and sand, searching for any kind of game.

Not long after crossing a particularity green patch of grass, or however green you can get in a dessert, I spotted what appeared to be a herd of deer.

I found them behind a little hill that gave way to a steep valley, it looked like the earth had simply gave way and left a giant hole in the middle of the plains.

They had tiny heads with majestic horns that sat proudly atop of it's head, it also had a black strip outlined by white fur running across it's back.

It was exactly what I was looking for.

One such creature was sitting down on an elevated rock, it's head was down and appeared to be resting. It's body gently going up and down.

An easy shot from where I was standing.

I pulled off my Father's bow from its resting place across my back, and drew an arrow from my quiver that sat on my waist. Nocking it in place, I drew back the string and leveled my sights on the deer.

Aiming for the heart, I let the arrow fly.

My aim was true and not moment later, the beast laid dead.

The herd went into a panicked frenzy and I simply waited for the dust to clear, once it did, I walked toward my kill to claim my prize. My heart was pounding in my ears as I got closer, and once I was upon my kill, what I did hit me with full force.

Near my feet lay a dead carcass, a once beautiful beast robbed of it's life for the life of another. I don't know how long I stood there, staring at the kill.

My kill.

The sun was high in the sky when I finally snapped out of it. The sent of death coming from my kill was more noticeable, and I wondered why another predator hasn't come along to steal my kill yet.

I stared for a bit longer, than got closer so I could pick it up.

The beast was heavy, almost to heavy for my eight year old arms to bare. But one does not simply pull back a bowstring without some muscle to do it. So I slung it over my shoulder, picked up my father's… or rather, my bow, drank from my skin of water, and began the trek home.

 **. . . . .**

By the time I got back to my village, it was late in the afternoon and the sky was turning red as the sun got closer to the horizon.

The first person to see me was a random stranger, the face he made when he saw an eight year old child carrying a deer twice his size was a face I will never forget. A perfect combination of disbelief, awe, and amusement. Many more gave me that look when I walked through the village, not believing that a scrawny little kid like me could hunt, let alone use the bow and arrow I carried.

With the butcher shop in my sights, I walked a bit faster so I could get this done and over with. I know I left Tharja with one of our neighbors, but I can't help be feel like something may happen if I'm not there with her.

I opened the door and walked in with my catch. The butcher was not at the counter when I opened the door, so I put the carcass down and waited for him to show up.

Sometime later after fiddling with my thumbs I got impatient and started to pace the length of the shop.

Come on, where is he? I've been waiting for ten minutes now. It can't take that long to notice that I'm here right?

With nothing better to do and with the sent of a fresh carcass starting to make me a bit queasy. I walked behind the counter and into the back of the shop.

When I walked in I expected to smell meat, or blood, or something that the back of a butcher would smell like. Instead, there was only empty meat hooks and clean knifes on the counters, with only a few dried blood stains here and there.

Within the quite spacious room, I saw the butcher himself. Looking at a wooden crate quite intensely.

Feeling a bit ticked off on how he ignored me in favor of a wooden crate, I spoke up. "You know, you could lose quite a bit of customers for not being at the counter when they need you." He jumped a bit with my outburst, did he not hear me come in?

Huh… Guess being a amatuer thief has some side affects.

Awesome.

"Gods!" He turned around to face me. "You there, what are you doing here? Get out! Only I'm allowed back here brat. Get!"

Feeling satisfied by my petty act, I obliged and went back to the front, with him following in my footsteps.

"Alright I'm at the counter, you happy?" He looked a bit annoyed when he said that.

I looked at him with an annoyed glare of my own.

"Um, no. Not really." I told him.

I tilted my head towards the carcass. "Can you really not smell the dead deer right next to you?"

With my not so subtle clue as to why I was in his shop, he looked at the deer in question. "Sorry kid. Just used to the smell ya know." He offered sheepishly, "Right, Where's your dad so I can get this beauty ready to eat?"

"He's dead."

With that rather blunt statement, he asked. "Uh… Your mother then?"

"Also dead." How dense is this guy?

That got him to sputter. "Uh… Um… Then who killed the deer?"

Dense as a mountain. "Are you serious, he's talking to you."

He looked down at me with a clearly disbelieving expression. "Right, look I'm a very busy man," Busy enough to stare at a box for ten minutes. "And I'm right in the middle of something, so go get your parent and let me do my job."

I simply stared at him with an incredulous expression and held up my bow without breaking a sweat. "Look, I really can't deal with this right now, so could you just take the damn deer and give me the gold. I need to get back home to check up on my sister."

He just stared at me and sighed. "Alright look, I'll give ya two gold per pound and when you tell me who's kill you stole, I'll consider not sending some guards your way, m'kay?"

I frowned and muttered under my breath. "Why don't you believe me?" It's not like I steal dead animals on a regular basis.

Food doesn't count right?

Apparently my muttering wasn't as quiet as I thought when he said. "I don't believe you 'cus you're only like what, six?"

"Eight."

"Eight," He amended. "And you're telling me that you killed an animal almost twice your size and dragged it back here alone?"

"…"

When he says it like that its kinda hard to argue. I wouldn't believe me either.

"Look," How do I say this? "I can prove to you that it was me who hunted and killed that deer."

How?

"How?" Dammit.

Uh… "I could bring in another one tomorrow?"

The butcher just looked at me and said. "How would I know that you were the one that shot it?"

I dunno, you can come with me or… Ah ha!

"You can mark one of my arrows, and I'll kill it with that arrow." Genius!

The butcher looked thoughtful about my suggestion and I got my hopes up. "K'ay, I'll trust ya on this and give you full pay on that deer of yours, five gold per pound." He pulled out a scale from the back, and I accepted the offered amount and smiled.

Nice, 800G in one deer. Not bad.

Following my part of the deal, I handed him one of my arrows and he chipped a small _O_ into the wood. "There we go. Nice and clear." He handed me back the marked arrow. "I'll expect you around this time tomorrow, if you ain't here by then, well. Lets just say that the guards here don't take to kindly to thieves round these parts."

With his warning delivered loud and clear. I left with my spoils and went to my neighbor's house to pick up Tharja.

I paid them for taking care of her and with me carrying her on my back, left to go back home.

I guess I'll call this day a success. Even though I'll have to skip stealing anything tomorrow to make my new found deadline.

Joy.

 **. . . . .**

It was still hot in the Plegian plains. Who would of guessed.

Even with the sun barely peeking out of the horizon, The heat was still ever present. I tightened the clasps around my hood as the dry winds blew across the very empty plains as I trekked onward in search of game.

The arrow that the butcher marked was clutched in my right hand, ready to be shot from my bow in a moments notice. I was tense with anticipation.

Once I bring another deer back to him, I could simply just do this for a living. No more stealing, no more guilt, and no more worrying about starving during the winter.

It simply felt like a dream. Just one dead animal, and my worries would disappear.

And speaking of the animal that I had to kill…

I finally spotted the patch of grass that lead me to my salvation in the first place. Just passed the tiny hill and into the valley and boom, an easier life straight ahead.

But what I found was not the strange deer that peacefully grazed on dry bushes and grass, but a camp filled with soldiers.

And it looked like they were ready to march.

I fell flat on my stomach and let out a whimper of fear. I knew those colors, I knew that flag, and I knew that insignia.

 _Ylisse_

When my father was still alive and just joined the war, whenever he came back home for redeployment to a different location, he would tell me stories of his battles on the front.

I would cheer for my father's triumphant victory against Ylisse troops and how his general would take down the Ylissean flag, and rise a Plegian one in it's stead.

But that was then, and all I could do now was stare in silent horror at the brand of Naga that was proudly displayed on their flag.

What were they doing here? My village was a small outpost far away from any major city and little to no presences on maps.

Hell the only reason that my village even had a military presences was because it was war time. Any other time it would be manned by civilian volunteers.

While my mind ran rampant, the Ylissean soldiers began to move and pack up their camp with worrying efficiency.

They appeared to be heading west. Towards my village.

I thought of Tharja. Peacefully sleeping in my neighbors house, waiting for me to come pick her up.

What could I do?

 **. . . . .**

 **Thank you for reading**

 **\- LazyZealot**


	2. Into the Fire

**Hello…**

 **I was supposed to post this much… much earlier but exams got in the way and then my computer just exploded without warning. Had to save up to get a new one. Sorry about that…**

 **Anyway, Here's chapter two…**

 **T: For some mild language, and soft gore (Is that a thing?)**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fire Emblem/ Awakening. If I did, they would all have feet. No exceptions.**

 **. . . . .**

Of course this would happen, why wouldn't it! Did fate itself just have some grudge against me having an easy life relaxing on some random bench in the middle of town? Lay off already it didn't even let me have a normal life to begin with!

All I had to do was shoot a damn deer and go home. Instead, I just so happen to stumble upon an entire Gods damned army ready to march towards battle.

I sat frozen on the spot as the camp got smaller while the army only got bigger, there was no way my little town could hope to win with those numbers.

I… I had to get out of here, there was no winning in this situation. Tharja… We had to go, I'll just warn the town guard. But, what if they don't believe me… M- maybe that wouldn't matter, surely they would listen if I shout loud enough right?

Perhaps if I say that enough I might believe it, maybe.

Gods dammit. I couldn't just leave them all to die could I? But maybe they would show mercy? They were Ylisse after all. However, half remembered war stories from my father said otherwise.

What could I do? I had to take Tharja away from this, she can't die here, not now, not ever.

Can I do this? Can I just leave all I know to die a most likely painful death at the hands of Ylissen soldiers?

There wasn't much choice in the matter, of course I would, she was my sister. The very last thing I had left.

That doesn't mean the idea leaves a very large pit in my stomach.

They at the very least deserve one damn warning, then I'm getting out of there. If they don't believe me… Well, that's that I guess.

I will not risk Tharja to save a town that couldn't even help a child and his sister.

Now I just had to get out of here, quietly.

 **. . . . .**

You know, this whole stealth thing is way harder than it looks. Especially when one wrong step means a rock bouncing off my boot, kicking up dust and giving away my location, it's made even harder by lugging around an unsurprisingly heavy bow.

Even harder still when they're moving out at the same time. At the rate they're going I'll barely beat them out to our destination.

The flat terrain that surrounded us was bad as well. Luckily, my cloak was more or less the color of the ground I was running across.

I don't care what anyone says, light brown was my new favorite color.

We eventually came close enough as to see the faint outline of the town further ahead. I was still sprinting non-stop so I could get there before the Ylissen invaders could, I could hardly keep my lead with all the soldiers sprinting as well.

They have had to noticed me by now, with all the dust I was kicking up. Doesn't exactly scream subtle. Note to self, learn how to run without kicking up dust, or rocks, or anything really, seems like a useful skill to have.

"Nearly there." Was grumbled underneath my nonexistent breath. How bloody long have I been running so far, my breathing was wheezy and dry, it felt as though my heart was trying to escape my chest with how hard it was beating, It was scorching hot with the midday sun pounding on my back, I could barely see where I was going with how dizzy I was.

An image of Tharja peacefully sleeping on our neighbors cot flew through my mind.

Another image appeared of her crying as she saw her town be engulfed by flames, the corpse of her brother laying still and silent.

Gritting my teeth, I pushed my body even harder.

That wasn't going to happen, It didn't matter that I was about to drop. As long as I was breathing no harm will come to her, no matter what the cost.

 **. . . . .**

The rest was a blur after that, turns out I didn't even need to warn the militia. The amount of dust in the air kicked up by the approaching army was more than enough proof that something was about to happen. I didn't care either way, all I wanted was to get out of here with Tharja as quickly as possible.

I didn't even know how I got to where she was, I just ran by countless corners and dizzying pathways by sheer muscle memory alone. You could practically hear the marching of the troops from the inside of the village walls.

Not much time left.

 _Got to get out. Need to run_.

Don't bother with the door, just break the window. They won't care, everyone was going to die anyway.

 _No, not everyone. Not us._

I found her laying on the floor, drawing on the ground with a piece of broken charcoal. I picked her up, ignoring her protests. No time to stop, I still had items that I needed in our house.

 _Survive. Take everything you can._

I briefly stopped to gather any valuables in the general vicinity, gold, jewels, food. Anything really, if I could use it then to the bag it goes. No time to feel guilty, soldiers where tearing down the walls as I looted. I ran out the door ignoring shards of glass that poked through my poor excuse for footwear.

I was running out of time, I still needed to grab some more money from our house and get most of Tharja's things. Only hers though, I was fine for now.

The most important thing I needed from there however, was a simple map my father gifted me when I was five. It lacked many important details but it still pointed out major cities deeper in to Plegia, but most importantly it was accurate. At least that was what my father claimed, said he copied it from a proper map their strategist had. He, of course, did this in secret while everyone else was sleeping off their hangovers. But that doesn't matter at all right now.

Screams could be heard near the gates now, guess everyone else was informed. But unlike them, I was running away. I saw any able body start to pick up anything that could be used as a weapon, swords, knives, spears, hell even pitch forks and sturdy planks. Everyone stood to fight, while I ran as fast as I could to get away.

Is this really what I am? Would I just run away from the very first sign of danger? I was the son of a proud Plegian soldier dammit. I should stand and fight, I even know how to use a weapon. In fact it was currently bouncing on my back being a nuisance, not helping anybody at all.

"Jonah?"

Tharja's voice firmly brought back my insane thoughts from whatever I was thinking. Of course I was running away. No matter what Tharja needed to live, it didn't matter if I was seen as a cowered or traitor. All I did was for my sister, and dammit if everything I worked for fails at the last second.

"Yeah?" I said quite out of breath.

"Why are you running away?"

"To keep you safe."

"Are we being attacked?" She murmured, while putting her head closer to my chest.

Slowing down my pace, I took a brief break and set her down on some stone stairs. "Yes, our home won't survive the battle. We're leaving as soon as we can." Clasping my hands on her face, I continued. "I'm sorry we have to do this, but it's the only way. We can have some adventures along the way, okay?"

Her face became painfully blank as she stared at the floor. "Can I bring my doll?"

Sufficiently rested, I carefully put her in a much better piggy back ride. While I started to run I answered her. "Of course you can. Just make it quick, we're really running out of time."

She didn't respond while I made, in my opinion, expert time on the way back. Opening the door to our abode, she quickly dashed off to her 'room'. I say 'room', while it was actually just one building with nothing in it. She simply ducked underneath the blankets that served as our walls, while I stuffed a bag with as much stuff it would allow.

Tharja was already at the door by the time I was done, she had tied one of her dresses into a makeshift bag and placed what appeared to be everything she owned. It wasn't much but with everything I was already carrying I was near my limit.

Blasts of fire worryingly close by stopped any thought about convincing Tharja to leave some things behind. We had run out of time.

Through father's stories I knew that war was not pretty, and if that fireball meant anything at all it was that they were already inside the town. Thinking quickly I grabbed an arrow and cut a long strip of cloth from one of my spare shirts and proceeded to tie it around Tharja's face.

War meant death, and that meant cooling bodies on the ground. Father's stories never went into much detail, but I at least knew what was to come. She didn't need to see this.

There was surprisingly little resistance from her as I tied it around her head, guess she managed to remember a few of the stories as well.

I picked her up now that the blindfold was snugly secure on her head, I ran outside and scrambled to the nearest exit. There were in fact two major gates that the town had for trade and all that, but I wasn't headed for any of those, I was looking for an exit that nobody knew about. Well, except for me.

There was a tiny crack in between the wood of the walls near the back of the town that somebody made years ago, it was so well hidden behind some tall grass that if my father hadn't shown it to me I would never have thought it would be there. It was some distance away but very much safer than trying to leave though one of the main gates.

Only one problem, the only route to get there was through the market place. A market place that was surely filled with Ylissen soldiers. Of course I had stole enough items from there to know some good places to hide, but I wasn't confident that they would work against a trained army.

Our only hope was that If I could run fast enough nobody would see us in the brief moment we were exposed out in the open. To be fair it wasn't that big of a pass but with my bag and Tharja on my back, not even including the bow and her stuff, it would be tricky.

But for once it appeared that luck was on my side. The market place was empty and silent by the time I got there, completely abandoned. Well, if you didn't count the bodies that is.

There weren't many, but it was enough to make me almost lose my dinner. Men and women alike where half-haphazardly spread across the floor, puddles of blood steadily forming around them. Some had no legs and others no arms, no one was spared. Guess the rumors I heard where true, Ylissen took no prisoners. Fortunately the odor of the bodies wasn't strong enough to bother me just yet, but I still smelt a faint whiff of a sickly sweet scent. The pressure on my neck increased as Tharja clung on tighter, couldn't blame her really, even if you couldn't see them it was still horrible.

After dashing into an alley it eventually led to an opening filled with the familiar tall grass. Unhitching Tharja from my back I sent her through first, no point in taking chances while in enemy lines.

Unfortunately, not everything went according to plan. Tharja could get through the crack just fine, but either the opening got smaller or I got bigger. Either way I couldn't get through, and I didn't have enough strength to make it wider or enough time to dig through the rock like ground.

I was stuck.

 **. . . . .**

It was mid-day by now and the sounds of battle from within the town had quieted down a fair bit. Meanwhile I was silently panicking as I couldn't fit through the stupid crack in the wall, no wonder that the market was empty, luck was simply waiting to screw me over even more when I was near the very end of the journey.

'Don't panic. **Don't panic**.'

It's alright, everything is going to be okay, just need to find another exit, no biggie.

"Jonah?" My sister whispered to me from the other side, "Why won't you come through?"

"Ah..." Really? That's all I can say!? This is already scary enough for her. Don't make it any worse! "I can't fit, I'll need to go another way." I stood up, dusting myself off at the same time, "Don't worry okay? This is just a little bump in the road, just stay right there while I get over." I took the liberty that her silence was a yes and ran towards a nearby building.

It wasn't very tall, I could probably reach the roof If I jumped from one of the crates scattered around the place. Too bad it wouldn't help me climb over the walls, but the extra height would help with what I was planning to do.

Taking a single arrow from my quiver and placing it on the ground, I started to take out a good amount of shirts from my bag, tying them together to make an extremely makeshift rope. That done, I stabbed my arrow through the thickest part of the shirt rope and made sure it was as sturdy as possible. Don't want to drop to my death after all.

I think all that only took me about five minutes, and what I had now was my ticket to freedom. Sadly it seemed fate decided I had ran out of time, the metallic clunk of marching soldiers in the distance didn't sound like they where in the distance anymore. Hastily grabbing a crate and propelling myself up to the roof, I took aim with my unconventional arrow and fired it at the top of the walls with a dull thud signaling my success.

The sound wasn't very loud, but I guess when you're part of an army you get really good at knowing what an arrow sounds like. At least, that's what I think when almost immediately after one of the guys marching shouted 'Arrow!' at the top of his lungs and bared his sword.

I have climbed things before. I also have done similar climbs under stress, usually in the form of a town guard after I had nicked some money from some poor sap walking with their purse hanging out of their pocket. What was different here however, was that instead of an armed civilian, it was actual soldiers.

And do you know what trained soldiers could do? No? Well, here's a hint.

 _Fwip_

 _Fwip_

 _Fwip_

I have never been so glad that I was a tiny brat. The closest arrow to me was near my chest and had failed to hit me or the rope. Small miracles I suppose.

I scrambled the rest of the way up while praying that Ylisse didn't have many decent archers in there ranks. Would rather be alive than dead thanks. Arrows continued to pepper my general proximity as I climbed as fast as I could. All the while dutifully ignoring their calls demanding me to stop and to give myself up quietly, yeah nice try buddy.

Suddenly I felt the rope stabilize near the bottom as one of the soldiers began to climb in pursuit. Of course they couldn't just wait on the ground like good little soldiers waiting for their buddy to hit me. The added weight wasn't good for my continued survival either, at least that's what those unpleasant sounds coming from further up are starting to tell me. Dammit, my poor excuse of a rope was already struggling to support my own weight never mind a fully grown adult in metal armor.

Thinking quickly I took another arrow and started to hack away, this of course caused the man to climb even faster.

Still though, my little gamble worked and the already strained fabric snapped with a satisfying sound. The panicked yelp of the Ylissen was especially amusing.

The last stretch of the climb was mostly uneventful, save for a lucky arrow that nearly took my head, if I had gone any slower… I'm just happy that the one archer they had was bad at aiming upwards. Gods know I will never hit a bird in my life time.

Reclaiming the arrow I had originally shot here, I jumped down and rolled to spread out the force of the sudden landing.

Hey. You only almost break your leg once while running away from a particularly persistent merchant before learning that there are correct ways to fall from a tall height.

With the hard part out of the way, and the curses of soldiers ringing in my ears. I went to collect Tharja from where I had left her. We had even less time than before, now that they knew we existed.

Err… That I existed at least. Our escape will be much harder than it needed to be.

Tharja was sitting against the wooden wall with her knees drawn up to her chest. She perked up when she heard me. "Jonah! I heard some screaming and I thought tha-", I clamped my hand on her mouth.

"Shhh! They spotted me going over and we really need to leave." I hoisted her on my back, taking a second to accommodate the extra weight, "Like right now. Try to stay quiet for me okay?" I draped an old brown blanket around us. Any little bit counts right now.

"Will we be okay?" She whispered.

"…"

What could I say? Everyone she or I had ever known where most likely dead. We were running away from our own home, and never coming back. With only the clothes on our backs and what our father had left behind.

"Jonah?"

"… I don't know." Because I really didn't. At least we had a map, no matter how basic it was it's still something.

"But what I do know is that we are alive." I reached over to put my hand on her head, "And it's my job to make sure we always will. So don't worry about it, your big brother will handle it."

She stayed silent as I felt her head rest against my neck.

I started running towards the unknown. With nothing but a map and a bow.

Don't worry Tharja, I'll handle it.

Just like always.

 **. . . . .**

 **Have a nice day!**


End file.
